Pettis County added 397 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the total number of cases to 9,052, according to the Pettis County Health Center.
“The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Service website is reporting Pettis County has a positivity rate of 25.5% for the past seven days which is an increase from 14.9% for the previous week with PCR testing,” the Pettis County COVID-19 Task Force briefing stated on Monday. “For the month of December, there were 821 positive cases reported for a positivity rate of 17.48%. The case count per 100,000 for the past seven days is 621/100,000. This week there were 1,056 PCR tests and 662 antigen tests for a total of 1,718. Last week there were 1,342 tests.”
The case counts by age will be posted on the Pettis County Health Center Facebook page and website.
“Vaccine breakthrough rates for the week of Jan. 3-9, there were 108 out of 401 cases for a rate of 26.9% vaccinated and 73.1% not vaccinated,” the briefing stated. “March was the most common month of last vaccination. Out of the 108 vaccinated cases, only 15 had boosters. Everyone eligible needs to get a booster.”
The preliminary report of influenza cases added 77 cases last week. The information is still being received. The preliminary case count is 365. During the entire 2020-21 influenza season, there were less than 10 reported cases.
As of Friday, there were 3,202 hospitalized in Missouri with COVID as compared to 2,154 hospitalized with COVID last week. There are 641 people in ICU and 345 on ventilators as compared to 466 people in ICU and 264 on ventilators last week.
There are 15 individuals hospitalized at Bothwell Regional Health Center as compared to 23 last week; 87% of the patients were not vaccinated. There is one patient on a ventilator. All inpatients will be tested upon admission. In addition, there are three influenza patients in the hospital.
The DHSS website reports 112 deaths in Pettis County with a confirmed PCR test and 19 deaths with a positive antigen test. This is the same as last week.
Approximately 46.1% of the population of Pettis County residents have started vaccination. According to the state website, 19,455 Pettis County residents have started vaccination and 17,328 are considered fully vaccinated, which is approximately 40.9% of the population. Pettis County is falling behind the state rate of 61.5% who have started vaccination and 54.3% fully vaccinated.
The state is reporting 72.5% of the population over 18 has started and 64.5% are fully vaccinated. For Pettis County, 57.4% of the population 18 and older have started vaccination (18,314) and 51.5% (16,427) are fully vaccinated. According to the DHSS website, 15.1% (1,138) of 5-17-year-olds have started vaccination and 11.9% (900) are fully vaccinated. For the 65 and older age group, 79% (5,724) have started vaccination and 71.9% (5,211) are considered fully vaccinated.
Pettis County Health Center provides vaccines for homebound individuals. Call 660-827-1130 to make arrangements.
Pettis County Health Center has regular walk-in clinics from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, from 8:30 a.m. to noon Thursdays and from noon to 3 p.m. Fridays.
To best protect patients, visitors and coworkers against the highly transmissible Omicron variant, cloth masks are no longer allowed to be worn in Bothwell hospital or clinics. Bothwell is now asking that everyone wear a medical grade or higher face mask regardless of vaccination status. Medical-grade masks can be picked up at any Bothwell location.
Following federal guidelines, the DHSS issued updated standing orders last week that expand boosters for more people and shorten the time between a two-dose series and a booster dose. Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 boosters can now be given at least five months from the last dose in the primary series (was six months); the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine boosters are now available for 12- to 15-year-olds and can be given at least five months from the last dose in the primary series; a third shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is now available for children 5 to 11 who are immunocompromised and Moderna vaccine boosters can be given at least five months from the last dose in the primary series (was six months).
Due to increasing high demand in the lab and ongoing staffing challenges, results from COVID-19 tests given at the Bothwell Walk-In Clinic and other locations may take up to 72 hours to process.
This week’s COVID-19 vaccine clinic for the two-dose primary series and booster doses is from 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13 (Moderna) at Bothwell Health Center-Truman Lake in Warsaw. People may walk in; however, appointments are encouraged by calling 660-829-8888 or scheduling in Bothwell’s patient portal, MyBothwellHealth at www.brhc.org/portal or in the MHealth app.
The Pfizer vaccine is available for children aged 5 to 11. People who want the vaccine for their child in that age group can make appointments at Bothwell TLC Pediatrics from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday by calling 660-829-5852 or 660-829-8888 or at Bothwell Health Center-Truman Lake in Warsaw from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays by calling 660-438-6800.
Bothwell is on day-to-day inventory management of monoclonal antibody infusion medication due to a shortage throughout the state. At this time, Bothwell is providing treatment to people who test positive for COVID-19 and who have had onset of symptoms within the past 10 days. People meeting those conditions should call 660-829-8830 to be screened for potential treatment and/or be placed on a waiting list for the treatment.
The Missouri Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) team has turned infusion administration back over to hospital staff. Treatment is administered on the hospital’s second floor from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. by appointment. The medication is free, and an administration fee will be charged; however, there are available government resources that will cover these costs.
Katy Trail Community Health is providing vaccines to current patients at all its locations by appointment. Community vaccines are at 816 Westwood Drive for all family members from 1 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday, and Saturday appointments are available.
